Around the Table Resources
The Around the Table initiative of the PC(USA) invites parents, caregivers, and congregational leaders to nurture children and youth, helping them grow in faith and discover who God created them to be in today’s world. These resources can help cultivate meaningful conversations and connections about Christian faith in everyday life.
BOOKS
Each chapter includes examples featuring families of various multiracial makeups, questions for readers to reflect on, and suggestions of age-appropriate action steps.
Perfect for book clubs or parent groups with a free downloadable guide.
Published in collaboration with Presbyterian Publishing Corporation as part of the Around the Table initiative of the Presbyterian Church (USA)
Growing in God’s Love: A Family Devotional is adaptable for use with all ages, abilities, and attention spans and makes faith formation at home easy.
Grown-ups and kids can immerse themselves in the stories of Scripture, wrestle with big questions, and learn together how to live out their faith in the world. As part of theGrowing in God’s Love family of resources, daily readings explore and apply Scripture with theology you can trust, with substantive, progressive lessons in faith for all generations.
Each day’s focus text can be read from the Growing in God’s Love: A Story Bible or a Bible translation of your choosing. After each devotion, respond to one or more of the Discuss, Discover, and Do prompts to process and expand on the lessons together.
Published in collaboration with Presbyterian Publishing Corporation as part of the Around the Table initiative of the Presbyterian Church (USA)
A Matter of Faith: A Presby Podcast - interview with the author that shares ways for families to engage.
Family Devotionals and Biblical Conversation w/ Jessica Miller Kelley
A down-to-earth guide for busy families wanting to practice their faith at home and live out their values in the world.
Adult readers will learn more about complex issues plaguing our world, what the Bible has to say, and how to share these insights with kids in age-appropriate ways.
Each chapter also includes practical ideas for activities and actions that families can do together to empower all ages to be the hands and feet of Jesus in the world.
Published in collaboration with Presbyterian Publishing Corporation as part of the Around the Table initiative of the Presbyterian Church (USA)
Preorder now, available 4/21/2026
GUIDES FOR FLYAWAY PICTURE BOOKS
At-home guides for Flyaway children’s books created in partnership with Presbyterian Publishing Corporation. Free downloadable guides in English and Spanish. Available in Korean if the book is available in Korean.
INTERGENERATIONAL RETREAT
Pull Up a Seat Retreat is a template for faith communities to hold their own Intergenerational Retreat. The resource comes from the Around the Table initiative of the PCUSA. It includes schedule samples, recreation, intergenerational sessions, vespers, worship, and so much more!
Also available in Spanish.
LITURGICAL SEASONS
Simple Mark, Remember, Listen, Reflect, Pray, Bless format with scripture from the Psalms of Wonder book and beautiful original artwork. Weekly format for the four weeks of Advent, Christmas, and Epiphany. Download either as a side-by-side layout or print as two-sided cards.
Beatitudes at Home Lent Family Devotional
This simple Mark, Remember, Listen, Reflect, Act, Pray, Bless format focuses on the Beatitudes from Matthew 5. Beautiful original artwork. Perfect for Lent. This devotional could also be used anytime to focus on the Beatitudes as the 9 devotional cards stand alone plus intro and conclusion cards. Download either as a side-by-side layout or print as two-sided cards.
PODCASTS
Featuring the Rev. Neema Cyrus-Franklin, the Project Coordinator at Around the Table, this podcast explores what it’s like to parent and live out a faith-filled life at home. She shares personal stories about her experience as a Christian parent and discusses how you can get involved with the Around the Table initiative.
Episode 1 – Modeling Lives of Faithful Transparency
Episode 2 – The Gift and Challenge of Parenting in the Faith
A podcast for parents and caregivers that gives practical pointers and inspirational thoughts about how our faith, spirituality and stories come to the table with hosts Michelle Thomas-Bush and Cliff Haddox. Find the Around the Table podcast on Apple, Spotify, and Amazon.
Episode 1 – Mark Yaconelli
Episode 2 – Bruce Reyes-Chow
Episode 3 – Kayla Craig
Episode 4 – Single Parent Table with Bill Buchanan and Melanie Marsh
Episode 5 – Different beliefs at the Table with Sarah Good and Brenda Lovick-Gill
Episode 6 – Grandparents at the Table with Sara Reyes and Robert Hay Sr.
Season 2 of the Around the Table podcast with hosts Michelle Thomas-Bush and Cliff Haddox gives parents and caregivers a place to think about how to have those Hard Conversations. Find the Around the Table podcast on Apple, Spotify, and Amazon.
Episode 1 - Hard conversations with children and youth - Imana Sherrill
Episode 2 - Mixed Race Parenting - Nicole Doyley
Episode 3 - Politics - Melissa Wear
Episode 4 - Faith - Roger Nishioka
Episode 5 - Raising Boys - Dan Davis
Episode 6 - Suicide - Tandra Rutledge
Season 3 of the Around the Table podcast with hosts Michelle Thomas-Bush and Cliff Haddox give parents and caregivers a chance to think about what Christian Formation looks like in different contexts. Each episode begins with an “appetizer” - a church practioner sharing something from their ministry context before welcoming the main guest for each episode. Find the Around the Table podcast on Apple, Spotify, and Amazon.
Season 4 of the Around the Table podcast features youth and young adult voices from the 2025 Presbyterian Youth Triennium. Listen to the dreams and insights of youth and young adults who attended Triennium. Find the Around the Table podcast on Apple, Spotify, and Amazon.
QUICKSHEETS
Looking for a fun way to jump start conversations with children or teens? Interested in a way to start sharing faith moments across generations? This Catch & Connect: Faith Conversations activity uses a beach ball as a mechanism to start the conversation.
Print ready images and instructions to print your own card conversation rings.
Images provided for social media posts of these conversation questions.
Available in English and Spanish.
Conversation Cards: Mission Mobilized Parent Quicksheet
A Quicksheet for parents with suggestions and additional resources for engaging your family in learning, mission and service while using the “Mission Mobilized” Card Ring Set based on Matthew 25:35-36. These resources and ideas build on the questions on those Mission Mobilized cards.
Drops Like Me: Worldchanging with Families
A Guide for Family Conversation
Drops Like Me is a guide for family conversation about David LaMotte's TEDX talk "Why Heroes Don't Change the World" and book "You Are Changing The World Whether You Like It Or Not."
Introduction to study guide from David LaMotte
We Don't Need Another Hero
This resource is designed for Church Leaders to help a group engage with David LaMotte's TEDX talk "Why Heroes Don't Change the World." This Quicksheet includes plans for a 90-minute gathering, which is designed to be intergenerational or it could be for youth or adult groups.
Church Leader Quicksheet:
Families are on the go and often not at church on Sundays, but you can equip them with simple resources and then encourage them to look for short faith-filled moments. Includes ideas and QR code to examples and printables to create and give to families.
Parent Quicksheet:
This one is for parents and grandparents with suggestions for short family moments together to share a prayer, a story, give thanks, or notice where they see God.
This Around the Table Quicksheet is for Church Leaders - How to create sacred support, community, and encouragement for parents and caregivers as they are trying a new family faith practice.
Church Leader Quicksheet
Resilient Young People: Camp Ministry
Camp Ministry is a catalyst for building resilient children and youth so that they can find their place or make their own way in school, home, church, and life. This Quicksheet designed for Church Leaders provides ways you can support your youth and your local camp, help campers share their camp experience with your faith community, and research about camp building resilience in children and youth.
Download
Parent Quicksheet
Summer Camp: Seeds of Faith
This Quicksheet is designed for parents to help prepare parents and their camper for summer camp. It includes rituals of camp life and what a day in the life at camp looks like, as well as ideas you can do at home to prepare and learn about camp, and find a camp near you.
Download
These Quicksheets were written in partnership with the Presbyterian Older Adult Ministry Network (POAMN) for Youth, Parents, and Church Leaders to help children and youth understand dementia.
YOUTH
Thoughts and tips to help guide youth as they navigate the challenge of a family member with dementia. These suggestions can also be helpful for any relationship with older adult friends.
CHILDREN
Quicksheets provide resources to explain dementia to children. It includes basic information about dementia for children, what to expect, and how to communicate with someone with dementia.
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